Bob-up toy



Feb. 12, 1952 K. w. JOHNSON BOB-UP TOY Filed Sept. 17, 1946 FIG. I

FIG.3

INVENTOR Kim Patented F eb. 12, 1952 UNITED PATENT" OFFICE v 2,5s5,7s v BOB-UP TOY Keith Whitaker Johnson, Arlington, Va. Application September 17, 1946, Serial No. 697,408

This invention relates to an improvement in a bob-up toy, and more particularly to a bob-up toy able to balance and rock upon either of two ends. Yr 7 Among the objects of this invention are to provide a bob-up toy which will balance and rock upon either end when placed upon said end, which when pushed from an upright position will tend to return to an upright position upon either the original or the'opposite end, which will arise to an upright position when placed horizontally upon a level surface, which when thrown or cast upon a level surface will assume an upright position upon' one of its ends, which has enclosed compartments; which may contain rattling elements, which i's'simple and economical to make, and which will amuse a child.

The invention is illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a bob-up toy embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional viewthereof, with the toy standing upright upon one end;

Figure 3 is a sectional View wherein the toy has been made to assume a'horizontal position;

Figure 4 is a sectional view subsequent to that of Figure 3 wherein the toy has regained anupright position but upon the opposite end from that upon which it stood in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view of a modification; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view of another modifie cation.

In Figures 1-4, a bob-up toy is shown, having a tube I, two substantially spherical caps 2 and 3 mounted on opposite ends of the tube in such a manner that the tube penetrates through each cap up to the opposite wall of said cap, and a relatively heavy ball 4 free to roll within the space enclosed by the inside of the tube and the two caps. The toy will balance upon that end which contains the ball 4 because of the weight of the ball, the convex outer surface of the caps, and the impossibility of the ball moving within the caps appreciably from the longitudinal axis of the toy. When upright, any sideward leaning of the toy causes the ball to be lifted against the pull of gravity, so that the toy is pulled by gravity back toward the vertical. The diameter of the tube l is greater at end 6 than at end 5, so that, when the toy is pushed over into or laid in a horizontal position on a level surface S, as in Figure 3, the lower inner surface of the tube will slope downward from end 5 to end 6 of the tube, and the ball 4 will roll from end 5 to end 6, with 6 Claims. (01. 46-134) the result that the toy will regain anupright position, as shown in Figure 4, upon the opposite end of the toy-than the end on which it previously stood, as shown in Figure 2. I I a Battling elements 8 may beenclosed within the space enclosed by the outside wall of the tube l and the inside wall of the caps 2 and '3; The ball 4 is preferably spherical and is-of relatively heavy material, such as steel, lead or a globule of mercury; while the-tube l and'caps 2 and '3 are of relatively light-weight material, such as Celluloid or other suitable material;

In Figure 5, a modification is shown, having a tube l of the same diameter throughout its length, while the two caps 9 and I0 have different diameters, so that the tube l slopes downward from cap 9 to cap I 0 When the toy is pushed over into or laid in a horizontal position upona level surface S. Hence, the ball 4 will roll from the end I I to the end l2 of the tube in a manner similar to that already described in connection with the embodiment shown in Figures 1-4, whereupon this embodiment will rise to an upright position upon cap l0. i

In Figure 6, another modification is shown, having a tube l of lesser diameter at its middle portion 13 and of greater diameter at each end. The two caps 2 and 3 have the same diameter, so that when the toy is pushed over into or laid in a horizontal position upon a level surface S, the lower inner surface 1 of the tube will slope downward from the middle portion I3 of the tube to the opposite ends of the tube. Thus, a ball lwill roll toward the end [4 if the ball is between points [3 and id in the tube, while the ball will roll toward the end 15 if the ball is between points I3 and I5 of the tube, whereupon, in

either case, the toy will rise to an upright position upon one or the other of its ends.

Any of the embodiments of this toy may be thrown or cast upon a level surface, whereupon the toy will come to rest upright upon one or the other of its two ends. This presents possibilities for amusement, since the user or users may try to guess'which end will be uppermost after the next throw.

Figure 1 shows two faces conventionally applied as ornamentation, one face on each cap; but other suitable ornamentation may be used.

Within the scope of the appended claims, various modifications other than as disclosed may be made by those skilled in the art Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising a tube of relatively light end on ain n the hal weight, two outwardly convex caps of substantially equal diameter and of relatively light weight closing respectively the opposite two ends of the tube and extending laterally and rearwardly therefrom, the inner surfaces of the caps and the bore of the tube forming a tubular substantially horizontal the gradient of the lower inner surface of the tube will caus''the' ball-torchto and come to rest in said last mentioned end,

of the tube, whereby the we'igl'itof'th'e'ball will cause the toy'to rise to a substantially. upright position upon the outwardly convex cap at the 2. A toy c mp ng. a. tube .91. rela vely. li ht w igh two utw y. onvex caps su stan.- t a y equal met rgand.ofrelat velvl ht wei ht losin e ly het o cpncsit nds of; the

tube and extending laterally; and rearwardly t e efrdm. the, inner sur aces. o the. cap d the boreof the tube forming. a tubular chamber, and a relatively heavy b3 1111110$fid within said tubular chamber; Dmviding a. toy adapted, to balanceupon oneof said-voutyvardly convex caps when placed upon a. levelsunporting surface; the

bore of, said tube tapering from one end tojthe other of thetube, so. that when, the longitudinal axis of, the tube is substantially horizontal the ball is, caused toroll toward, and come to rest, in that end of the tubehaying the larger bore diameter, whereby. when the toy ,is, placedv lengthwise upona levelsuppQrtingsurface saidball-will roll attheend containing the ball.

3. A toy comprising a tube of relatively, ligh weight, two outwardly, convexcaps of. substantube and extending, laterally, and rearwardly therefrom, the inner surfaces of the caps and the bore of the tube forming a tubular chamber, and a relatively heavy ball enclosed within said tubular chamber; providing a toy adapted to balance alternatively upon either of said outwardly convex caps when placed upon a level supporting surface; the bore diameter of said tube tapering from each end of the tube toward a lesser diameterat substantially theniiddle portion of said tube, so that when the' t oy is placed lengthwise upon a level supporting" surface said ball will roll downwardly toward and come to rest in an end of said tube, whereby the weight of the ball will cause the toy to rise to a. substantially upright position upon that cap at the end containing the ball. 7

4. A. toy of; thestructure set forth in claim 1, and wherein said caps each consists of a hollow member of substantially spherical shape with an opening receiving an ehd of said tube, the end of the tubeineach. case penetrating throughthe opening and up to, theinnehsurface of the ope posite wall of the cap.

5. A toy of the structure set forth in claim 2, and wherein said capsleach, consist of 'a hollow member ofsubstantiallyspherical shape with an opening receiving, an endaof said tube, the end of thetubein each casepenetrating .throughthe opening and up to thejnner surface of, the opposite wall of the cap,

6. A toy of the structure; set forth in claim 3-, and wherein said caps, each. consist of a hollow member of substantially,sphericalshape with, an opening. receiving an endof-said tube, the end Of: the tube in, each casepenetrating through the opening and up to the inner surface of the op posite wall of thecap.

KEITH WHITAKER J OI-INSON,

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesv are of. record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number o ntry. ate 7 76,698 Switzerland: June 17, 19-13 87,776 Switzerland Aug 7, 191 9 

